Need neighborhood advice

[nerdlette]

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread also as we're similarly scouting for a nabe and leads on where to find listings.

I've read that Zillow can be a hit or miss and that Craigslist is the main place to look. I'm going to search for property managers, also.

[mogris]

If anyone can recommend a property manager I'd be grateful.

[whtviper1]

All the property management companies utilize craigslist for rentals - and only a small fraction of landlords use property management companies, the fees are high and it usually means the actual landlord doesn't live in Hawaii.

[MovingAloha]

The site that caters to Military and those affiliated with the Military is: AHRN.com | Connecting the military community with housing

You can fill in your criteria and find homes in the area and price range you want.

[hotzcatz]

Okay, you'll be based out of Pearl Harbor area, no doubt. Stay away from North Shore since otherwise you'll be spending several HOURS each day in a commute. It's hard to enjoy Hawaii if you're spending all your time stuck in traffic.

If you really want to enjoy coming home, how about Kailua? That has an almost direct shot over to Pearl, too, so your commute would be a lot shorter as well as gorgeous along the new H3 highway. If you can find a rental in Lanikai you'd have a wonderful beach access although anywhere in Kailua it's easy to get to the beach.

Kakaako might be a nice area, very central to a lot of things and there's a lot of new buildings there to rent in. You'd be near downtown, Ala Moana beach, Waikiki and lots of things to do.

Nuuanu/Manoa are lovely areas, cooler higher elevations and rains a bit, but very lush. It's right above the downtown area so it's easy to drop down into town yet it's away from a lot of the hustle and bustle.

Doesn't the military have transient housing? Can you stay there for several weeks or a month while looking at different areas to rent?

[pj737]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

All the property management companies utilize craigslist for rentals - and only a small fraction of landlords use property management companies, the fees are high and it usually means the actual landlord doesn't live in Hawaii.

Generally agreed but property managers are a no-brainer for a lot of rentals. Property managers make no sense if you're renting nicely appointed, middle to higher end units with ideal tenant demographics. $400/mo to manage a 1,500 SF $4,000/mo SFH in Manoa is absurd. But if you own a small 2-story walk up on Aniani Place in Waipahu with $900/mo 2bdrm units $90/mo is an absolute steal of a deal. Older buildings with less-than-ideal renter demographics will require a lot more attention from a property manager especially because there is a strong possibility they will have a hard time collecting rent.

I don't use property managers but not because they are not worth the money, I don't feel they screen tenants properly or care for the premises/structure the way I personally would. My experience is that tenants also prefer to deal with an on-island landlord rather than a property manager.